Fig. 1

Dnd Function Is Dispensable for PGC Survival

(A) The expression of vasa is lost in embryos knocked down for Dnd. Expression of vasa is visualized by in situ hybridization in 24-hpf embryos. Insets show a magnification of the position germ cells occupy in wild-type embryos (asterisk), a position devoid of PGCs in embryos knocked down for Dnd.

(B) EGFP-positive cells are present in 24-hpf embryos knocked down for Dnd. PGCs are labeled with EGFP targeted to the membrane (EGFP-F′). The preferential expression of EGFP in PGCs is achieved by injection of RNA containing the 3′ UTR of nanos3 (Köprunner et al., 2001). The asterisk indicates the position of the PGCs in wild-type embryos. Arrowheads point at ectopic PGCs in Dnd-deficient embryos. Insets show magnifications of ectopic PGCs. Outlines (white dotted lines) show the contours of the embryos.

(C) Graph presenting the number of PGCs detected based on vasa RNA expression during the first day of development. 58 ≤ n ≤ 75, (n, number of embryos). p Values determined using the Mann-Whitney U test with α = 0.05. Data are presented as median ± interquartile range (IQR).

(D) Graph presenting the number of PGCs detected based on EGFP fluorescence during the first day of development. Whereas the number of vasa RNA-positive cells is reduced in Dnd knockdown, the number of PGCs remains similar when EGFP-positive cells are scored for. 51 ≤ n ≤ 61 (n, number of embryos). p Values determined using the Mann-Whitney U test with α = 0.05. Data are presented as median ± IQR.

F′, farnesylated; KD, knockdown; hpf, hours post fertilization. See also Figure S1.